What you can recycle

We can recycle:

• cardboard (flattened) - including cereal boxes, egg boxes, food packaging sleeves, inner tubes from toilet and kitchen rolls
• greetings cards (without glitter, although a small amount is fine)
• catalogues and telephone directories
• junk mail and envelopes (including with windows)
• magazines
• newspapers
• paper
• wrapping paper - if it passes the scrunch test! Scrunch the paper in your hand. If it stays scrunched up it doesn't contain any plastic and can be recycled. If it springs back open it contains plastic and can't
• pizza boxes - as long as they are clean with no grease soaked in

We can't recycle:

• padded envelopes
• paper towels
• tissues
• photos
• shiny / foiled / metallic wrapping paper (that doesn't pass the scrunch test)
• shredded paper - this clogs up our equipment, but can be put in your home composter or taken to the tip
• books - these can be taken to a charity shop or recycled at the tip

We can recycle:

• aerosol cans - empty and with lid removed
• biscuit tins
• drinks cans
• food cans
• metal lids from bottles and jars - please remove first and put them loose in your bin

See also: Foil and foil trays below

Note: For safety reasons please do not try to squash or pierce aerosol cans.

We can't recycle:

• baking trays
• batteries
• electrical items
• garden tools
• gas canisters
• knives
• wire coat hangers
• paint tins
• printer cartridges
• saucepans
• utensils

A lot of these items can be recycled at your local tip.

You can recycle household batteries at many supermarkets and shops.

We can recycle:

• plastic bottles (with lids removed - these cannot be recycled)
• plastic pots
• plastic tubs
• plastic food trays
• plastic pot, tub and jar lids - please remove first and put them loose in your bin
• Easter egg packaging
• Takeaway food containers
• blister medicine packaging

We can't recycle:

• small plastic bottle tops - see note below
• plastic carrier bags
• food bags - for salad, chips, bread etc
• plastic wrap
• bubble wrap
• polystyrene
• plastic coat hangers
• plastic toys
• printer cartridges
• garden plastics - plant pots, seed trays, tools etc

We can recycle:

• glass bottles - wine, beer, sauce, etc (any colour)
• glass jars - food, coffee, jam, etc

Note: Metal lids from bottles and jars can be recycled, but please take them off the bottle or jar and place them loose in your recycling bin.

We can't recycle:

• kitchenware - eg glass dishes or Pyrex
• drinking glasses
• glass vases
• microwave-proof glass
• milk bottles
• mirror glass
• oven-proof glass
• paperweights
• window glass
  
  
• Spectacles (glasses) - most opticians will recycle your old glasses
  
  
• Lightbulbs
• Fluorescent tubes
• LED lightbulbs
• Low energy lightbulbs
  
  
• Ceramics
• Crockery

Note: These all have different chemical properties to 'normal' bottle/jar type glass.

We can recycle:

• aluminium or tin foil
• aluminium or tin foil containers
• takeaway foil containers

Note: Please remove as much food residue or oil as possible before it goes in your recycling bin and scrunch the foil up (not folded).

We can't recycle:

• crisp packets
• shiny / foiled / metallic wrapping paper
• food pouches - eg baby food, pet food, soup, yoghurt, etc

We can recycle:

Cartons are often called tetra paks

• fruit juice cartons
• milk cartons
• smoothie cartons
• soup cartons
• other cardboard cartons

We can't recycle:

• plastic tops/lids from the cartons
• plastic straws